TLN’s Game Preview: Lakers @ Nuggets

Nov 1, 2008

23

There is something so tragic to me about the Denver Nuggets and how their roster is constructed. It borders somewhere between crazy genius and just plain crazy.

They posses two of the most gifted offensive players in the game with Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson, they have a wealth of drug offenders (too many to list), and more tattoos per square inch of skin than any other team in the league.

To be quite honest, the Denver Nuggets are everything that is wrong with professional basketball: disrespectful, underdeveloped yet still potent offensive attack and a downright refusal to play even half assed defense. It comes as no surprise that Smush Parker was a part of this team until just about a week ago.

It was this attitude and style of basketball that earned the 50-win, eighth seeded Nuggets and unceremonious sweep out of the 2008 NBA Playoffs at the hand of our beloved and heralded Los Angeles Lakers.

Aside from the Nuggets giving their only true viable defensive weapon to the Clippers and the Lakers only becoming more efficient and hungry, not much has changed for either team.

This does not bode well for the Nuggets.

Not one bit.

It is going to be ugly. U-G-L-Y!

Television –

Los Angeles: KCAL 9 (Joel Myers & Stu Lantz)

Denver: Altitude 25 (Chris Marlowe & Scott Hastings)

Radio –

Lakers: AM570 KLAC (Spero Dedes & Mychal Thompson)

Clippers: KKCK 1510 AM (Jerry Schemmel)

Injuries –

Lakers: None to report…still geeking it out injury free! Only 80 more to go!!

Nuggets:

Probable: Nenê (Sprained finger)

Out: Chucky Atkins (Knee Surgery)

Fantastic Fun Fact Freakout! –

58: This number represents the cumulative margin of victory experienced by the Lakers over their first two contests. After a 20-point win over Portland on opening night and a 38-point deconstruction of the Clippers the following night, will the blowout streak continue? With the Nugget defensive strategy being what it is (nonexistent) look for just ridiculousness… when I said that it would be ugly before, I was not kidding. If my prognostication skills are what I think they are, the outcome of this game might be uglier than a Luis Scola glamour shot.

‘Melo is Back: After serving his 2-game suspension for being pulled over on April 14, 2008 for driving under the influence. Anthony’s return may be the only thing that can save the Nuggets tonight.

$ock$: Yay! Andrew got his contract, which now means that the Lakers are officially 100% drama free! Bynum’s 4-year, $58 million deal ensures the young Center’s future with the team, it does not, however, eliminate the nickname Socks. Oh, you may be making it rain at Club Ivar, Andy, but you will NEVER be the A-Train. Viva la Socks!

Oh and my prediction for the nuggets this season is they will come in LAST in the western conference. They play less defense than anyone could have ever thought. They’re perimeter players constantly go for steals and miss more than they succeed, and last year they had Camby to back them up, blocking 3+ shots a game and altering many more. But of course they dealt him away for nothing, I don’t know how they think they’ll win more than 15 games. Because honestly, you can only expect them to win if they score 120+, and that doesn’t seem likely to happen more than 10 times.

http://ld2k.com Chris Manning

I can’t wait for us to crush them… if they thought last year’s playoffs were bad…

[Comment ID #53589 Will Be Quoted Here]
with ariza’s incredible leaping, out on a limb, ariza jumps over iverson and posterizes k-mart/nene

http://jamieinsider.celebuzz.com Jamie Spears Insider

George Karl should get his son Coby signed =P

DCLAKER

Lakers 111-Nuggets 97.And I being nice with that score only because of Melo.

Andrew Rafner

[Comment ID #53587 Will Be Quoted Here]

the game is not played on an individual matchup premise.

DCLAKER

…and Ariza will slam on Klieza or Martin.

T-Mack

This will be an easy Laker victory by anywhere from 15 to 40 pts. Hahahahahahahahahahaha AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Peanut Butter Spread

I don’t know, I think it’s a little hasty to say the game will be ugly for the Nuggets … it looks like the team is trying hard to play defense and that they’re going to motivated to take down the Lakers after the first round loss to the Lakers last year.

Should be a good game, though I do expect the Lakers to win if they keep the same intense defensive focus from the last two games. I don’t want to see the Lakers pull an Orlando Magic.

chauncey

don’t under estimate the nugs, melo is back and is apparently a changed player. i don’t doubt the lakers to win but hopefully it’ll be a game.

Neo-Laker Era

[Comment ID #53596 Will Be Quoted Here]

You were SCARY close to the final score. Very nice lol.

domz

[Comment ID #53615 Will Be Quoted Here]

yeah right! He predicted how much the nuggs will score. i was kinda frustrated about the game. Coz we played like the team last year. Maybe thats because of early foul troubles. anyway, go LAKERS!!!

Peanut Butter Spread

LOL, it retrospect, you were right Rafner, the game WAS ugly … both for both teams …

Smush Walton

Good comment regarding tatoos per square inch. Watching someone like the so called “Birdman” was disgusting. I had to laugh when he was first introduced and the announcer mentioned he had been out of basketball because of a drug problem – really? ya think?

A fine example for today’s youth. What a shame.

http://youtube.com/MvpGoesToKobe LakersNewDynasty08

[Comment ID #53597 Will Be Quoted Here]

You did it last year.

http://youtube.com/MvpGoesToKobe LakersNewDynasty08

[Comment ID #53588 Will Be Quoted Here]

stfu

Jerry West

You’re hillarious. How could you say Denver is underdeveloped? Now that they have Billups in there?

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